A true design classic resists strict definitions and rarely (if ever) arrives with the awareness of self-importance. It’s a product that becomes inseparable from the era in which it was produced, while somehow managing to outlive that era entirely…true timelessness. The Gibson Les Paul, Jordan 1’s, Ray Ban Wayfarers: all products that have become classics, representative of their time, and yet still exist nearly unchanged, while setting a standard in their respective industries. That tension between capturing an epoch and timelessness is not easily replicated, nor is it likely to be purposely produced in the first place. A design that is too rooted in its moment risks feeling dated later on. But one that is completely detached from its context risks feeling anonymous, as if it could have been made at any time and therefore belongs to no one. The classics, the real ones, manage to find that balance. A classic design often emerges from moments of a technical or cultural shift: new materials, new manufacturing techniques, new ways of thinking about how something should function or feel. These shifts can consciously or subconsciously inspire designers and artists to create something unique. And when form and function align closely enough within a moment, something special can emerge.This is where much of modern watch design finds itself in a tricky position, because today’s industry is exceptionally good at referencing its past. Nostalgia has become a business, capitalizing on the cyclical nature of fashion, and cashing in on triggering a customer’s sentimentality.